1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to curtain systems and more particularly to an improved preshirred, adjustable decorative window treatment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes various curtain systems using invasive mounting structures for hanging a decorative window treatment around openings in a wall. The invasive mounting structure is attached to the wall or woodwork by hardware such as by using screws, brackets or molleys, which can damage the wall, leave permanent holes and other undesirable marks in a metal or expensive wood frame of a window. Furthermore, other more complex curtain systems can use multiple mounting structures that require additional time and labor for installation as well as these substantially increase the overall cost of the curtain system. Installation in other openings where a mounting surface is either absent or not wide enough to support mounting structures can cause other problems requiring additional installation expense or resort to custom-made mounting structures. Likewise, window treatments mounted within the perimeter of the window frame or casing such as inside mounted blinds and shades do not provide a good mounting surface for conventional mounting structures for hanging additional window treatments thereon such as when an inside mounted valance type treatment is desired.
In addition, several known curtain systems have used hook and mesh fastening material. A valance system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,348 that uses hook and mesh fastening material rather than stapling or other hardware to attach and hang the segmented window treatment to the mounting structure such as a wood mounting board, curtain rod or drapery pole extending from a wall. The patent discloses a segmented window treatment of swags and festoons where these segments are arranged in an overlapped, end-to-end fashion thereby traversing the strip of the wood mounting board, rod or pole. Another foldable, non-fabric valance system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,419 that is attached to the header for a blind or curtain. However, unlike these known curtain systems, the present invention provides a stretchable curtain system that can be mounted and hung to openings of various widths and without using additional mounting hardware and structures such as wood strips, curtain rods or drapery poles. Therefore, the development of an adjustable curtain system to accommodate different opening sizes without needing mounting structures or hardware would advance the state of the art.